Jo Cox Foundation invites communities to mark tenth anniversary of the Great Get Together in memory of former Batley and Spen MP

From June 19-21, the Great Get Together will once again see events - big and small - take place in every corner of the country, with members of the public invited to host an event in their local area.

A spokesperson said: “Ten years ago, the murder of Jo Cox MP shocked and devastated the nation.

“But in the difficult days that followed, people responded with something Jo believed in deeply: connection. Neighbours came together. Differences were set aside.

“Communities united and have shared a Great Get Together every year since.”

The foundation is calling on anyone who believes “we have more in common than that which divides us” to take part and help make the 10th anniversary the most connected year yet.

Olivia Field, chief executive at The Jo Cox Foundation, said: “This anniversary is a moment of remembrance, but also one of incredible possibility.

“Over the last decade, we have seen that connection is a choice - and it’s a choice that people across the UK are making every single day.

“By acting on Jo’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us, we can shape a more hopeful, connected future together.

“This year’s Great Get Together is one way to demonstrate that.”

Evidence from the foundation shows these events help people feel more connected, increase belonging, reduce loneliness and strengthen communities.

Baroness Jan Royall, chair of The Jo Cox Foundation, said: “That initial response to Jo’s murder revealed something she lived by and fought for every day: that we are stronger when we come together and that we have far more in common than that which divides us.

“For Jo, connection wasn’t abstract - it was built through listening, talking and treating one another with respect, even when we disagreed.”

Jo’s sister, Kim Leadbeater, who is the current Spen Valley MP, said: “I find it incredibly hard to believe that it has been 10 years since my sister was murdered.

“We, as a family, miss Jo’s energy and enthusiasm – and always will – and as a country her compassion and strength of her conviction that we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us, are needed more than ever in today’s world.

“For a decade the Great Get Together has demonstrated the importance of Jo’s values and shown how we can put them into practice in our daily lives.”

The annual Great Get Together is now a national tradition of street parties, community picnics, runs, coffee mornings and simple acts of togetherness.

National polls estimate that more than 17 million people across the UK have taken part in Great Get Together events over the last decade.

To help mark the 10th anniversary as the most inclusive Great Get Together yet, the foundation will distribute £5,000 of micro-grants to community organisers across the UK, thanks to the support of GoFundMe.

The foundation has released a free 10th anniversary toolkit to help anyone organise an event. To get involved, visit: www.greatgettogether.org